3rd Party Fantasy

Author notes

#18 Ten Foot Pole Technique

Evil Emperor Nick

on Feb. 2, 2006

If anyone is looking for and Evil Empire to join I could certainly use some artists at present. There are several projects which are just waiting for some talented artists to give them a good home. Also thanks for all the comments lately everyone.

Rant

Fan art is the closest thing in the comic world to buying a someone a drink. It is a great ice breaker. “Hey, hey there good looking, I couldn’t help but notice you figure so I drew you this stick figure.” Seriously I've made almost all my friends online by either giving or receiving fan art. Now while this might seem like artistic prostitution I would suggest it really is a good thing.

Often times comics with less sophisticated and inquisitive readers generally only get interaction with their readers and follow web comic enthusiasts in the form of comments like "Amazatrastic page dood!"

And while they are deeply appreciated, they are tend not to impress skeptical parental figures (Whom want you to give up this foolish life of internet comicstry and get a much more meaningful job at McDonald's) as much as fan art, awards, and/or the mysterious and elusive of all fan appreciation cash.

Sadly sprite fan art is the equivalent of wooden nickels or wilted flowers in fan art merit. You get rewarding comments back like "Oh great now I know how my character would look like if he was an Atari character", "Hey a Pong Mod" or the heart felt "What the crap?!!?!". Of course there is also the other extreme where people send you picture of their shrines they have built around your characters, in depth love letters for you characters, and the of course tasteful fan porn, but hey those are kind of good problems to have.

Nonetheless there remains the problem of the parent figures. How do you explain to them that a shiny five, a short blurb is like pay check only harder to cash and eat and impress women of shallow character and ambiguous morals with. What to do about them?

This is of course an uphill battle. My parents are largely supportive of even my most obviously flawed schemes (such as my short lived attempt to sell dehydrated water over the internet) or interests (Once due to a miscommunication of the gender of bishie CLAMP characters they though I wanted to cross dress for Halloween one year and they still helped me get a costume together.). They are trusting, supportive, and encouraging; sometimes even to much so.

Me: Hi Dad, I’m calling you this late to see if you want me home.
Dad: No that is okay you can stay out as late as you want.
Me: Are you sure. My GIRL FRIEND wants me to come back to her house to WATCH A MOVIE. I won’t get over till VERY LATE, are you sure you don’t want me home?
Dad: No no that is okay. Your mother and I trust you son.
Me: ……………thanks………………………..dad…………………..

However there has been one aria where I’ve been less then strongly encouraged.

Mom: What are you doing?
Me: Oh I’m drawing. I’m trying to practice the basics by copying some manga to try and build some basic skills.
Mom: But Nick……you SUCK at art.
Me: …………………………………………….that is why I am practicing mother.

So despite later show of support I’ve always been a tad sensitive on this topic and eager to show off my accomplishments in the web comic world. Of course this is difficult given the fact that I’m not comfortable showing my parents a half naked succubus and the fact that the last time they really got one of my jokes was back in the 7th grade when I told my final knock knock joke.

However I’ve finally found something which I believe will impress my parents, grandchildren. But since I don’t have any (or a girl friend for that matter0, I’m afraid I’m just going to have to keep plugging away at these rants which they seem to have taken a general interested, at least when I am not explaining how one needs to cross class your cleric with the debowelator class to get the best healing to disturbing violence ratio.

Anyway go make some fan art everyone for some of DD’s finest if your so inclined, I’m off to explain why my “Vote for Pedro” is funny to my parents.